Top News

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has declared that his hunger for silverware remains undiminished after guiding his team to a commanding 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final held in Istanbul.

After a competitive opening spell, it took a moment of brilliance for Villa to break the deadlock when Youri Tielemans volleyed home from Morgan Rogers’ cross following a clever short corner routine just four minutes before half-time.

The Premier League club extended their lead in first-half stoppage time as Emi Buendia curled in a superb strike from outside the penalty area. In the second half, Rogers sealed the win to deliver Villa’s first major trophy in three decades.

Since taking charge in November 2022, Emery has transformed Aston Villa from relegation battlers to European champions, adding another glittering chapter to his managerial record and cementing his place in the club’s history.

The Spanish tactician expressed hope that this success marks the start of a new era of achievement for the club.

He said: “Of course, the ambition of the club is important, and the process we have followed makes sense. With this trophy, we are showing how much we have developed.”

“My dream when I arrived was to play in Europe and compete for trophies. This is the first one we’ve achieved. We reached a semi-final before, and experiences like today are vital for our improvement.”

“It makes sense for this club because after 1982, when Villa won the European Cup, achieving this makes us very happy and proud of our work. But we are not going to stop here.”

Before the match, Emery played down his reputation as the ‘king’ of the Europa League, but few could dispute his claim to that title after securing a fifth European crown in his managerial career.

Despite adding yet another continental trophy, the 52-year-old insisted he does not see himself as the “king” of the competition.

Emery added: “I am really proud and grateful for competing in Europe, and I owe thanks to the clubs, supporters, and history of teams like Villarreal and Sevilla. Without them, I would not have achieved this success.”

“That is why I don’t feel like the king of this competition. I feel thankful. We are kings together, and of course, I have my responsibility as a coach to make it happen.”

Villa ultimately cruised to a comprehensive win, sweeping Freiburg aside with three goals, but Emery admitted he never considered his team favourites going into the final.

He said: “Winning is always difficult, and playing in a final is very difficult. They beat strong teams in the semi-final and fully deserved to be here. They are a good team with a good coach. We were discussing in the hotel that we didn’t feel we were favourites for this match.”